What are the stakes of starting a business as a couple? We ask seasoned founders for their tips on balancing love and entrepreneurship this Valentine’s Day
Running a successful brand is no small feat, and the stakes can feel even higher for couples who run a business together. Combining personal and professional relationships can lead to unique challenges but also create opportunities for deep collaboration and growth.
There have been some examples of influential companies co-founded by partners in a relationship, demonstrating the power of their collaboration in the startup space. A standout is the Australian multinational graphic design platform Canva, founded by Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht, who were married on Rottnest Island in January 2021.
This Valentine’s Day, we share insights and practical tips from our Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow on navigating this multifaceted relationship while fostering a successful brand.
Read more: The weigh-in: Should couples have access to each other’s personal devices and social media accounts?
Raena Lim, co-founder and COO, Style Theory
Lim and Halim’s Style Theory have over two million rentals across Singapore, Indonesia and Hong Kong (Photo: Raena Lim)
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How do you work with your partner?
Raena Lim (RL): My husband, Chris Halim, and I have been together since we were 17 years old—which means we’ve been in a relationship for over 20 years. We got married in 2019.
We found that clarity in roles is the key to making it work. Over the years, we’ve drawn a clear line between our two “hats”—the founder and operator hats. As operators, we each have our areas of influence in which we make the final decisions. Chris leads product, tech, finance and strategy, while I focus on merchandising, operations and customer experience.
The great thing [about working together] is that we both know where we stand and trust each other’s judgment in our respective domains. As founders, we have veto rights over company decisions, but even though we have the authority, we’ve rarely felt the need to use them. Our respect for each other’s expertise and shared vision makes it easy to collaborate without stepping on each other’s toes.
Share one piece of advice on starting a brand as a couple.
RL: Starting a business with your spouse can test your relationship. You’ll likely find yourselves disagreeing more than couples who don’t work together. We’ve learned that it’s important to approach those moments with grace and humility.
It’s also important to plan our business and life together to make them cohesive. We use a shared calendar that blends our personal and work schedules, allowing us to tackle everything together. For example, Chris might handle a parent-teacher meeting while I have a work session, or I might take the kids on an excursion while he handles something at work.
We also jump in to help each other when needed, and because we already have the context, it’s much faster and easier than if we were in separate roles and had to ask someone else for help. This seamlessness has made a big difference in how we balance everything—without feeling overwhelmed or disconnected from each other.
